


「X mark」

by great_ben_810



Category: Little Witch Academia
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 19:12:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16181402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/great_ben_810/pseuds/great_ben_810
Summary: Summary: Barbara marks Hannah.





	1. Chapter 1

Apologies for the sudden question but…

Can you differentiate your book from another person’s book?

Some people might recognize their book by the subtle details that only they can find—a divot, an accidental tear, corners folded, or certain pages worn out due to repeated visits through time.

Others can easily distinguish their books because of a book cover. A sense of privacy from unwanted, curious eyes. A secret maintained between the owner and the book.

On a similar note, a bookmark can be used. A hidden present for the book. This could be simple such as a piece of string or more elegant and fragile like a pressed flower.

Certainly, there are many other ways to personalize your book from others.

In fact, Barbara likes to write her name on her _Night Fall_ collection. Her name can be found on the inside of every single _Night Fall_ cover’s bottom left corner. Not in pencil though. That can easily be erased.

Barbara writes her name in black ink. A bold declaration so that it cannot possibly be claimed by another.

Now, all of these—damages, covers, bookmarks, names—are a valid way of claiming what’s yours. Only if we’re talking about books or objects though.

Unfortunately, these methods aren’t ideal if we’re talking about a person.

An unsettling feeling was growing inside of Barbara.

Something dirty. Something black.

A desire to possess. A desire to claim.

Where does this ugly feeling point towards?

The person standing next to her.

Hannah England.

  
  


The feeling started pure.

A simple thought to talk more with Hannah. To spend more time with Hannah. To know more about Hannah.

The feeling was innocent.

A simple want to see her smile at Barbara. To hear her laugh because of Barbara. To feel her comfort through her warm hands clasping Barbara’s.

It was easy to recognize what this feeling was because Barbara had read about it in _Night Fall_.

Despite it being her first time, Barbara recognized that she loved Hannah.

Whether it was appropriate or acceptable to embrace such feelings towards another girl…

Barbara didn’t care.

Her world was a lovely pastel pink.

But, somewhere. Somewhere in her world,

black seeped in.

  
  
Maybe it was when she saw Jasminka and her. When she saw Jasminka by Hannah’s side—Barbara’s place.

It didn’t matter when it started anyway.

The black had already dirtied it. There was no way to separate the overwhelming black from the pink.

Just like there was no way to unmix the two ingredients she was currently brewing for potion class.

Barbara was mixing the potion with a ladle while Hannah read the instructions next to her.

“Barbara, it says to stop mixing once white bubbles appear.”

A couple minutes pass as the liquid cooked.

Barbara took out the ladle from the boiling pot to place it down on the table, but she wasn’t careful enough.

A short yelp prompted Barbara to look beside her where she saw Hannah wrapping a cold towel around her hand.

She had burned Hannah.

_Because I wasn’t paying attention. I hurt her. I hurt Ha-_

A giggle interrupted Barbara’s trance.

“Barbara, your face! It’s too funny!!”

As she continues laughing, Hannah mirrors Barbara’s expression.

Eyes wide with concern, mouth open in shock

_Funny?…excuse me?_

“Stop it, Hannah! I hurt you!”

“Relax! There’s barely a mark! See?”

Hannah lifts her hand with the side facing Barbara.

There was a small red spot. About the size of a mint.

A subtle blemish that can only be found if you know where to look.

An accidental mark.


	2. Chapter 2

Sunday.

A morning cup of tea at Blytonbury with Hannah.

The usual café, the usual menu, the usual table, the usual walk back to the Leyline Terminal, and the usual window shopping.

Until a new accessory store caught a pair of eyes.

Due to school rules, excessive jewelry isn’t allowed but minor accessories are acceptable under certain circumstances.

For example, Constanze’s red ribbon, Jasminka’s orange ribbon, Lotte’s blue headband, and of course Hannah’s yellow ribbon are all allowed as hair accessories.

Therefore, the purple ribbon displayed on the window case will be acceptable to wear as well.

There was nothing particularly special about the hair ribbon, but Barbara wanted it.

It was just a regular purple ribbon…the shade of a lilac flower.

_The same color as my dress_.

“Barbara, do you like that ribbon too?”

Hannah’s finger points towards the display case, but Barbara could see that she wasn’t talking about the same ribbon.

“I was looking at the purple one.”

“Purple? That would look nice on you!”

A sincere compliment.

Normally, Barbara would deflect compliments with a polite thank you, but her heart spoke out first.

“I was thinking that it would look better on you.”

“Oh! Well that makes two of us!”

Where were Barbara’s manners today?

She could only reply to Hannah’s suggestion with a confused stare.

“Come on! I was thinking that the orange ribbon would look pretty on you!”

  
  
After a couple minutes, Hannah and Barbara exited the dainty shop.

Hannah had bought the orange ribbon for Barbara, and Barbara had bought the lilac ribbon for Hannah.

A matching present.

“I want to wear it already!”

“There’s a bench there. I can tie it for you while you sit down.”

What an odd offer to make. Especially since Hannah ties her own hair every morning.  

It can’t be helped though.

Barbara’s heart is a bit noisy today.

“Thanks!”

With one swift move, Hannah pulled out the yellow ribbon she was wearing, cascading her auburn hair down onto her shoulders.

Hannah didn’t do anything special, but it was enough to make Barbara’s heart shout.

  
  


Once Hannah was seated, Barbara stood behind her with the purple ribbon in hand.

Barbara’s hand repeatedly disappeared inside the auburn sea while her fingertips resurfaced as they carefully collected the waves until she could anchor it with her purple ribbon.

It didn’t take long to tie Hannah’s hair, but Barbara had to add the finishing touch.

As she straightened the ribbon, Barbara touched her lips against Hannah’s hair to drown her thoughts.

_This is my collar for you…_


	3. Chapter 3

“pssst”

It’s been an hour since the blue team exchanged goodnights, but it looks like someone is still awake…

“heeey”

Not that Barbara is one to talk—or whisper in this case.

Barbara rustles from under her sheets, making sure that the light from her wand doesn’t leak out.

“what is it, Hannah?”

“go to sleep”

“but I’m at a really good spot right now!”

“I’m the one who has to deal with waking you up tomorrow!”

“but I can’t stop reading!”

“fine!”

Another rustling of the sheets, but it’s not from Barbara’s bed this time.

Barbara sees Hannah slipping out of her bed…only to slide inside Barbara’s bed.

“Hannah!? Wha-”

A finger silences Barbara.

“shh. You’ll wake up Diana.”

and without another word, Hannah repeals the light spell on Barbara’s wand and places it on the nightstand.

The hardcover book joins the wand as Hannah pulls out the book from under the covers to make space for herself—a good spot to sleep next to Barbara.

“now, you have no choice but to go to sleep”

Luckily, the blue teams’ beds are big enough for two people to sleep but

there was no way she was going to sleep.

  
  


It didn’t take long for Hannah to enter the dreamland.

She rhythmically breathes in and out. The covers—Barbara’s covers—moving in pace.

Barbara could only stare at her sudden night guest.

The moonlight sneaking through the window faintly shines on Hannah.

She was too pretty. She looked like she wasn’t from this world. Like she was from _Night Fall_.

A slight dip in the mattress.

Hannah had rolled over in her sleep. Her breath tickling Barbara as she is now face-to-face with Hannah.

 

She always wears her hair down when she sleeps. Or on special occasions such as formal parties.

Not that many people have seen her with her hair down.

_I see this Hannah every night._

But, it’s not enough.

Diana, her roommate, also sees Hannah with her down every night.

Guests, strangers, have seen Hannah with her hair down at formal events.

_It’s not enough._

 

A small red spot catches Barbara’s attention.

The burn mark she placed on Hannah’s hand.

The mark had significantly faded. Another day and it would most likely disappear without a trace.

At that time, she had thought it was accidental but thinking about it now?

_Maybe it was intentional…_

A strand of auburn falls, exposing Hannah’s neck to the greedy full moon.

In _Night Fall_ , it only takes one bite to mark what’s yours—two small puncture marks to write your name.

The only condition is that this ritual needs to take place on a full moon.

Tonight was just like the scene Barbara had been reading before Hannah stopped her.

『Belle had insisted on sharing a bed with Edgar, knowing what that implied to her relationship with Edgar.』

Barbara slowly closes the gap between her and Hannah.

『As Belle waits with determination, Edgar observes her with amusement. She was a bold, unusual woman. An unpredictable chemical reaction. Perhaps her career as a science teacher was affecting her behavior.』

Barbara hesitantly opens her mouth, exposing her white teeth.

『Although he wanted to prolong the special moment as much as possible, he was a gentleman and knew it was rude to delay the feast any longer. One last confirming look before he licked his lips with his tongue, which would soon apply an analgesic.』

Barbara places her teeth on Hannah’s neck—just where it would be covered by her hair.

『Belle had declared that she didn’t need the analgesia, but Edgar had strongly refused her request. After all, he didn’t want to hurt Belle. After he sufficiently numbed Belle’s neck, he exposed his fangs…and sunk them in. 』

Barbara intentionally marks Hannah.

Not with teeth marks but with a kiss mark.

 

The next morning,

Barbara insisted on Hannah to wear her hair down.


End file.
